Angels of the Force
by iChaos
Summary: My first attempt at fanfic. Luke & Mara portrayed from a unique perspective. Reviews welcome, good or bad.


**A/N:**

Characters: Luke, Mara

Time frame: 60 ABY

Summary: Jedi Grandmaster Luke Skywalker has just received a priority communication from a Jedi task force tracking the latest Sith menace in the galaxy. He has also just had a _vision of the future _regarding his own fate in the matter and is on his way to confide in his longtime best friend and fellow council member Jedi Master Mara Jade.

Disclaimer: Star Wars does not belong to me. This is written for entertainment, just to see if I can do it. Not for profit.

* * *

**Angels of the Force**

Luke Skywalker was an old man. Tonight in particular he was certainly feeling all of his seventy-nine years as he left the comm center in the heart of the Jedi headquarters operations annex and headed towards the individual residential dwellings on the perimeter of the grounds. Although he walked with a cane, that had more to do with the image he projected to his fellow Jedi than it did with the countless injuries earned during numerous conflicts with the forces of chaos across the galaxy. The inconvenience of the cane really represented a tangible exercise in humility for him, and he wanted to be sure that the object lesson was not lost on the other members of the organization he had worked so hard to build.

Skywalker was constantly aware that although Jedi were inherently powerful creatures, it was his duty to maintain vigilance over their collective perception of that power, lest it may lead them down the path of arrogance that had caused the destruction of the old order to begin with. _'Not on his watch,'_ he thought to himself.

He also knew that on those days that his family and closest friends decided that it was necessary to bolster his spirits, they might tell him that he didn't look a day over fifty. He considered this for a moment, and appreciated the sentiment, but the truth of the matter - that he very was near to the end of his mortal days - was not lost on any of them. At times, he was comforted by this thought due to the simple fact that he had never felt closer to the Force as he did right now. It was almost as if he could see the barrier between his corporeal body and the raw energy of the Force waning away as he drew ever closer to the light that burned so brightly within him for so long. If not for the Jedi training techniques and extensive physical fitness programs that were integral to a lifetime of conditioning, he was confident that he would have no doubt expired many years ago.

As he meandered through the pathways that led him closer to his destination, he reached out to sense Mara resting in a peaceful slumber which he was keenly aware that she needed. She still had an overly exuberant tendency, in his opinion at least, to push herself as far as she could whenever there was important work to be done. During the last few months all available Jedi not already on assignment had been tirelessly scouring the galaxy for leads regarding rumors of a new Sith threat rising from the shadows that were the dark side of the Force, and Mara was no exception. All the Masters and many of the Knights had felt this disturbance stirring, and tonight was the night that their vigilance had succeeded.

When he arrived, Luke considered waking her immediately, but he knew that it would be at least midday tomorrow before all of the council members would be available to meet and coordinate their plan of attack. Instead, he found an outdoor seat across the courtyard from her cottage to meditate on his latest vision. There was no hurry, since Darth Krayt - as the newly self proclaimed Sith lord apparently fancied as his moniker - wasn't likely to be going anyplace soon while under siege by a overwhelming Jedi task force on Tatooine. If he had learned nothing else over the years, at least he could finally apply a liberal dose patience when it was called for.

Slipping into his trance, the corners of his mouth quirked up in a wistful smile as he considered his surroundings from the perspective granted in his mind's eye through the Force. He was seated on a simple stone bench facing the front door of Mara's domicile a few dozen meters ahead, and there were also several other homes scattered around the pavilion. Luke and Mara both could certainly appreciate the wide open natural green spaces which where now commonplace on Coruscant after the massive Yuuzhan Vong terraforming operation a few decades ago, and he reveled in it.

Before him to the south, where the Manarai mountains once stood, were the majority of residential plots that several Jedi families preferred over the austere alternative of standard temple quarters. He knew that Mara liked the relative privacy, and she enjoyed gazing out at the view during meditation sessions. She told him that it helped keep her humble (or at least as humble as Mara Jade ever was) as a constant reminder of what the galaxy had lost during the war with the Vong and the price of complacency on the part of the Jedi before their time. That attitude was only one of the many qualities that he admired about her, as he reflected on how much they both had changed in the considerable amount of time since their first fateful encounter over half a century ago. The temple proper was at his back, a more modest reconstruction of the original that once stood on the very same spot. Beyond that to the north were the main hangar complexes and dormitories that housed many of the campus personnel that lived their daily lives in and around the galactic headquarters of Jedi operations. To the east and west lay the sprawling outdoor training facilities and athletic fields that constituted the remainder of Jedi real estate on this sector of the planet.

The nearby capital, Galactic City itself, had been razed and rebuilt from the ground up as well, although a few of the original mighty towers had been renovated as monuments to the past. The new administration and business districts themselves still filled nearly an entire hemisphere of the planet, albeit with less monolithic architecture and considerably more breathing room than before. Luke was happy to have been a part of making all this possible for so many of his fellow sentients, as he looked back on the momentous changes which he had somehow managed to survive with little regret.

Well, maybe one regret. At least he still had the opportunity to tell Mara what was on his mind before he was out of time.

He traced the warm currents of the Force through his consciousness, and replayed the vision he had experienced earlier back in his mind. He felt there was little doubt what the message implied, but he was determined to seek out the valuable counsel of his best friend and closest companion before he jumped to any absolute conclusions. After all, he seriously doubted that neither he nor the galaxy itself would be where they were today if he hadn't learned to accept the wisdom of her insights in the first place. He chuckled lightly to himself as the image of his twenty-something self floated in front of his heavy eyelids. It was hard to believe that he had ever been so deluded and self assured that he thought he could do all of this on his own, without any help.

Thank the Force for Mara, and that's exactly what he did practically everyday since they had left the surface of Wayland far behind them following that horrendous battle with the insane clone of a dark Jedi Master in residence of the mountain fortress there. Surely, there had been times when he thought she might still just break his damn fool idealistic neck rather than endure yet another episode of his earnest over confidence as they defied the multitude of threats that had challenged them since. Then of course there were the other times, the quiet times they had shared, that reminded him of the special place she held in his heart and the trust they have had for so long now. Stars, he was going to miss her when he was gone.

He surfaced from his reverie as dawn chased the last stubborn remnants of night from the horizon, as he reached out and felt Mara rising to begin her morning routine.

* * *

Luke approached her door with a trepidation that he had not felt in recent memory. At the last second, he nearly thought better of it and paused as he raised his hand towards the announcer.

As if on cue, the door whisked open to reveal Mara gracing him with a radiant smile of greeting. Then it faded all too quickly as she caught onto his somber demeanor, and narrowed her eyes to pierce him with an effulgent green stare instead.

_'What the blazes is this all about?,'_ she wondered. "Mornin' sunshine. To what do I owe this dubious pleasure?" she prodded.

"Good morning to you too, O jaded one." He retorted lightly. "We have news about Krayt, so I just stopped by to brief you before the rest of council is available later today." As he spoke, he fidgeted under her gaze. _'No way she's gonna buy that...'_

"Is that all?" she replied with mock sweetness. To herself, she thought: _'Yeah, right. Whatever you say, farmboy. Out with it already. I don't have all day.'_

He diverted his eyes for a split second. "Well... no. There is another matter. I had a vision last night and I wanted to get your reaction on my interpretation."

She regarded him critically for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure. Have a seat, I was just fixing some hot chocolate. Would you care for some?"

"Thanks, that sounds good." As he lingered on her retreating figure returning to the food prep module, his thoughts betrayed him. _'Stars, and they say I look good for my age. She is as amazing as ever, no doubt about it.'_

"So, what's the word from the front lines?" She called from across the room.

"Anakin's team has the Sith pinned down on Tatooine. Valin's group is meeting up with them now, and intelligence is still coming in from the outposts along the border. From the latest accounts, Krayt has been lurking around wild space seeking artifacts of the old Sith Empire for years. Of course, you already know everything that has happened since we first discovered evidence of his tomb raiding on Korriban, but now it looks like he has been gathering power for quite a while longer than we first realized and has been sporadically moving along the outer rim as he attempts to establish a foothold in Alliance space." He paused to retrieve his mug as she set it on the table in front of him. _'Mmm. She always makes it just the way I like it.'_

"Not that this new intel directly addresses all of our concerns, but I think it does call for a more cautious approach than just sending them charging into the caverns after him, sabers blazing. For all we know, this Krayt may have a much greater mastery of the dark side than we anticipated. We could be one Sith holocron away from a genuine threat if we aren't prudent."

"Hmm. Well, I can't disagree with that, but what has that got to do with this vision of yours?" she said after taking a sip from her own mug. _'Why do I have a bad feeling about this?'_ she thought as she fixed him with a hard look straight into his bright blue eyes.

Luke sighed heavily, and forged ahead. "Mara, you and I are the only two living Jedi with the firsthand knowledge to recognize the appalling dark power that is a legitimate Sith lord. Just before the report came in late last night, I had a vision of myself on Tatooine, facing down this evil creature." He paused to gather his wits. Absently, he realized that of all the dangers he had dealt with throughout his life, only her scrutiny could unnerve him like this.

"I have to go there, soon, and provoke him." He paused for dramatic effect. "It is my destiny."

For a moment, he was relieved when she didn't seem to be taking it too...

"WHAT!" She shook her head fiercely and exclaimed at him. "You cannot be serious, Luke! At your age, even with all your experience & skill, you can't actually expect to surv..." She trailed off as she slowly sank down on the sofa next to him and her hand came up to cover her mouth. Through the turmoil in her own heart, she could still feel his decisiveness through the Force. _'Oh, my stars...'_

Luke just sat there implacably for a moment with all the smugness one might expect from the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order.

She hated it when he did that.

Luke proceeded gingerly as he moved closer and looked intently into her eyes. He always felt so safe when he saw her looking back at him the way she was doing right now, he forged ahead. "Mara, there's more to it than that. I want to...no, I need to tell you a few things while I still have the chance." He proclaimed with more confidence than he felt.

Mara was temporarily rendered speechless. _'If he dies, I'm really gonna kill him this time.'_

"Mara, do you ever wonder why I really chose to ask you and the others to train as Jedi?" he ventured. "I mean, beyond the reasons we are all aware of. Yes, it's true that Master Yoda charged me with this task on his deathbed. Yes it's true that I felt it was my duty to rebuild a new, stronger order that would not be so susceptible to the follies of the past, for the sake of the galaxy and by the will of the Force."

"I have my theories." She answered after a moment, but her voice was distant and her attention seemed focused on something far beyond her sight.

"I'm sure that you do, but there there is more to it than you know. There are some thoughts that I have kept guarded all these years, even from you and Leia."

Now that got her attention. _'What should I hit him over the head with first, the potted plant or the caf machine?'_ she thought absently.

Her concentration had returned to him fully now, and he cringed slightly. "Like what?" she challenged. "And this had better be good."

He faltered.

"Let's have it, Skywalker."

_'Why is this still so hard, after all this time?'_ he chastised himself, and drew in a shuddering breath.

"I was ashamed," he whispered.

"I always thought that if anybody could have understood, it would be you but, I didn't want to burden others with my guilt. I have perpetrated some heinous acts of violence in my time, both before and since I became a Jedi. Once I realized what it truly meant to follow the Jedi path and all that implied, the tremendous weight of that responsibility shocked me. I was terrified that I couldn't handle it, and I was sure that I was going to fail." He took another deep breath. "If it hadn't been for you and the others, I have no doubt that I would have failed us all."

"Go on," she said and fought the urge to roll her eyes. _'Just like the farmboy to play the part of the martyr.'_

With a brokenhearted expression, he continued,"I could never tell you how much it truly meant to me that you chose to join me as a Jedi. To join all of us. Not in the way I wanted to show you at any rate. I had faith in you even if I couldn't find it in myself. Despite my own fatuous pride and gallant statements to the contrary, I knew that I would never be able to muster the fortitude I so desperately needed without your support. Somewhere along the line, I decided that I had to be strong for the sake of the people that I cared for and that I would always put their needs ahead of my own if I was ever going to have a chance of being vindicated from my past mistakes." As he spoke, the shame and humility he projected into the Force was palpable to Mara.

Her voice was soft now. "Luke, you know you're not the only one to ever harbor self doubts, and question the morality of their own actions, Jedi or otherwise. You could have confided in me. I would have listened." He had wounded her own pride just now, but she sensed that there was still more to this than had been revealed. She decided that this was not one of those times when it would be productive to aggressively patronize him in order to foil his resolve. She recognized that the old coot was really laying it all on the line this time.

"I didn't think...I still don't think I'm worthy of your devotion. Can you really understand? I killed over a million people with that single shot on the Death Star. That alone makes me responsible for the highest body count on record of anyone besides Palpatine. But that isn't even the worst part. Right or wrong, without thinking anything of it at the time, I used the Force with impunity to destroy it, and cheered with joy when it exploded. I never even felt them die through the Force, the same way Ben did when Alderaan was destroyed, the same way I have felt so many others... Far too many others."

A single tear glistened in the corner of his eye.

"It wasn't until sometime after that, when you came to recruit me in that crazy rescue mission for Karrde as a matter of fact. After we defeated C'baoth, that's when I truly began to understand what you already knew and I was only starting to learn. You convinced me about the true danger of the dark side, of falling into it's seductive trap and abusing the power of the Force. I realized then that I needed you in my life more than I would ever be able to express, and yet I didn't want to pressure you into joining me. I just thank the Force everyday that you did."

He blinked, and that lonely tear slid down his weathered cheek. _'Mara, my angel, my savior. Can you ever forgive me?'_

She took his hand in hers. "Is that why you think you have to go? Why you would risk being cut down by another Sith monster after all these years? Because you feel guilty about all those who have died by your hand, and all those you have sent to their death? How are any of us better than you? We are ultimately just as responsible for our actions as you are, and you know it. We can't change any of it, and no good will come of lamenting the things we had to do." She paused. "Won't you at least take some time to reconsider? Is there nothing I can say to stop you?" _'If I tell you how much I would miss you? How much I...'_

Sensing her anxiety, raised her hand to his mouth, and placed a tender kiss in her palm.

He looked over her shoulder for a moment, and then returned his attention to emerald eyes that were suddenly brimming with unshed tears. "It is not that simple. The Force has shown me my fate. Perhaps after all I have done to serve the light, the hour of my absolution is upon me and justice will finally be served." He closed his eyes tightly for an instant to fight back more tears. "I can defeat this Sith. I will keep the Jedi safe. The Jedi that we trained, Mara, the children that we helped raise. I will not sacrifice a single one to his blade. This will be my final penance, the Force will grant me this one last victory." He spoke with such conviction, Mara shuddered.

Luke pulled her closer to him, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Speaking with a thick voice, he said, "Mara, I want to thank you so very much for everything. For your friendship and your guidance. For your faith in me and for the trust we have shared all these long days of our lives. I did not deserve it, and yet I cherished it above all else. You gave your life in service to others when I had no right to ask you for it. You are the best partner a man could ever ask for, and I am as proud to have known you as I am proud of you. I am very sorry if I ever hurt you."

A soft sob escaped her. "Luke, you don't have to do this alone. I can't...I...I don't want to live without you."

The place in his heart that he had always kept just for her wanted to believe it, if only for a moment.

"I want to go with you."

"You can't. You are needed here, and I must do this."

She frowned briefly. "I know, but I can do this" She turned to face him, slipped her hand behind his neck and looked deeply into his eyes. She then joined her delicate lips with his in the first and only genuine kiss that either of them would ever share with another mortal being.

He returned the kiss fervently, until they separated and openly stared at each other as the Force itself glowed subtly around them. They didn't notice.

They each professed the words at the same instant: "I love you."

She dropped her chin and leaned into him until their foreheads were resting together and they wrapped their arms around each other.

"Luke, I don't want you to go, but if you feel that this is the right thing to do, then I won't stop you. I'm going to miss you more than you will ever know."

"I wouldn't be so sure, my dear. I think I may have an idea how you feel."

"Stay out of my head Skywalker," she sniffed.

He spoke again. "I never let myself believe that we could be more to each other in this life than we have already been. As much as I may have coveted you, I know that you would not have received all the attention which you deserved from me, and that would not have been fair to either of us. I have carried this love for you in my heart with me wherever I go, but it would never have been enough to sustain a relationship between us as long as our commitment to duty remained."

He shifted to look into her eyes once more. "Can you ever forgive me, for all of it?"

She favored him with a smile. "Yes, farmboy. You are forgiven. You know better than anyone that I too have spent a lifetime wrestling with my own demons, and as painful as it is to admit I know you are right. It would have tainted all that we have worked to achieve, for everyone. Can you ever forgive me for my own mistakes?"

"Of course."

He touched his lips to her temple then, and simply held her for a long time before he rose to leave, their emotions dancing between them in the Force.

"Farewell," he said to her. "At long last the time has come for me to return home. May the Force be with you, and I will always love you ."

Their eyes met for the last time as she spoke her final words to him.

"I love you, Luke. May the Force be with you."

And he was gone.

* * *

Mara had reluctantly decided to honor her standing dinner invitation this evening with her former apprentice, and now a Master in her own right, Jaina Solo-Fel. It was with a heavy heart that she journeyed back along the winding paths of the temple grounds to her humble dwelling, but she was glad that she had spent the time with Jaina and her family. She was very proud of Jaina, and it had lifted Mara's spirits to see them all safe and happy together, tonight of all nights. She sensed that it would please Luke to know that at least she could be with his family, really the closest thing to family of her own that she herself had ever known, even if he couldn't. Instead, he bravely charged towards his destiny, halfway across the galaxy, at this very moment. To protect them all, again. To demonstrate his love for them all, in his own unique way, again.

She certainly hadn't told anybody what Luke's true intentions were after he rushed off after a brief council session that morning, muttering about being guided by the Force so they wouldn't question him. They thought he was merely intending to supervise the operation, and he would be back in a few days. Mara did not betray her knowledge of his impending fate because she felt it would be cruel thing to do to them and because she desperately grasped that last shred of hope that he might still return to her and she could hold him in her arms once again. After supper, she had excused herself early to be alone with her thoughts and concentrate on his progress through the Force.

Mara shook her head slowly, trying to overcome the numbness that she was feeling at the absence of her true love. After finally admitting to herself the profound connection that she shared with Luke, she was having a difficult time picturing any future for herself without him in it. On some level, of course, she had been preparing for this day for many years. After all, it was only a matter of time before one of them fell in battle or surrendered this mortal coil to the ravages of time. Even at their rather advanced ages, she mused, they were still formidable enough in their own right with the Force as an ally. Perhaps he would be granted a reprieve, and defy the fates by surviving this mission. Still, she took no comfort in these logical thoughts as she arrived at her home and prepared for bed.

And then the very fabric of the galaxy screamed out in agony and torment.

Luke Skywalker, Hero of the Rebellion, Founder of the New Jedi Order and the love of Mara Jade's life, succumbed to death in combat with the Sith.

The onslaught of the shock wave was transmitted through the Force faster than thought itself. The sheer incomprehensible power of the event assaulted her like a massive Tsunami detonating against the shore of a distant sea. She clutched at her heart as the assault tore through her, and she recognized with painful familiarity the same ghastly sensation she had felt when the Emperor himself had perished. She was vaguely aware that this time something was different though, the darkness was orders of magnitude greater than it was then as it pummeled her very soul. As the residual effects continued to wash over her in the Force, she was left with the distinct impression that the malevolent intent of the wave would have killed her instantly had she not been enveloped in an even greater cocoon of immaculate bright energy as it passed.

With a start, she suddenly inferred what had happened. Luke had known just what he was doing. The devious Sith had set a trap for the Jedi, with an enormous thought bomb the likes of which had not been employed since the last battle of Ruusan. Yes, she vividly recalled the stories of these horrid devices from the files of Sith artifacts that Palpatine had kept in his private library. Krayt had meant to wipe them all out, once and for all, balefully trapping them in an artificial purgatory for all time. That's why he was holed up in that cave, allowing himself to be surrounded by Jedi. He was just waiting for the right moment to spring the trap. And that's why Luke...

Luke! How had he known? That man was always full of surprises, but this time he had outdone himself. He had just saved the Jedi, and probably every other Force-sensitive organism in the galaxy from a fate worse than death by killing the Sith and intercepting the effects of the bomb before the damage was done. When the full reality of his loss finally registered in her mind, she collapsed on the bed and wept.

* * *

Some hours later, Mara's eyelids fluttered open as she felt a weight settle beside her on the bed. As she looked up into familiar blue eyes that were virtually shimmering with light before her, she bolted awake and instinctively reached up to the apparition with outstretched arms.

"I must be dreaming," she breathed.

"As far I know, it is not a dream." The voice of her beloved whispered into her embrace.

"I don't understand how this is possible, I felt you die!" She exclaimed.

"Ah, but that's the beauty of it, my dear. We are all luminous beings in the great symphony of the Force; our lives are not bound strictly by the crude matter of physical bodies."

"How can this be? What does it mean?"

"All things are feasible through the Force, more so than I could have possibly imagined, and it means that we have been blessed with a very rare opportunity indeed." He withdrew slightly and regarded her with imploring eyes. "Mara, we have been forgiven our sins in the Force, just as we forgave each other in life. Contrary to our own preconceptions, we have both lived virtuous lives. Lives spent in service to the greater good, in denial our own amenity and desires."

He considered his next words carefully. "Our time has passed, and we've done all we can. Eventually, we all must leave the future to those who will succeed us."

"The very essence of our free will is that nothing is predetermined, and it is up to us to choose from the alternatives that fate lays before us to shape our own destiny. My mortal life ended for a good reason, and it happened at the very moment that was necessary in order to defeat the treachery of the Sith. It was my choice to make, and it was also the right one, no matter how much pain it caused for either of us in the process. If these are the last moments that we ever spend together, it was still worth it."

"Luke, I don't think I can stand to lose you again. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we have one more choice to make, right now. When two people consent to join their souls together without reservation, that bond can never be broken in the Force by anything, even death, other than their own volition. They will always be able to find each other, no matter how much time or distance has passed between them."

She sat up as he knelt beside her bed, and took her hand in his.

"Mara Jade, I'm asking you to spend eternity with me by your side as your loving companion. This is the precious gift I have been given, a second chance to ask this of you before we are separated forever by the endless abyss."

"And the catch is...?" A wry smile was tugging at the corner or her mouth.

"For your part, you would have to commit the final sacrifice. The last one you will ever be required to make. In order for this bond to be consummated, you would have to forfeit your mortal life, and choose to follow me now, into the vast planes of infinity. This is the salvation that we have been offered by those that came before us." He faltered for a heartbeat. "I know this is asking a great deal, and I understand if you don't want to take the chance..."

"Shh..." she placed a finger to his lips. "Yes I will follow you, Luke Skywalker. At this very moment, and for all the time to come. Nothing would make me happier than to finally be able to join you forever."

She beckoned him back up to her side, and hesitated.

"Now what?" She asked with trust in her eyes.

"Now, my love, you lay your weary head down on your pillow and your body sleeps for the last time."

"Like this?"

"Close your eyes."

He brushed away a stray lock of her hair, and smiled.

"Thank You." He said.

The next thing she knew, they were both standing before each other in her room, appearing as young as the day they had first met. She was dressed in an elegant yet flattering gown which was a brilliant shade of white; he was sporting what looked like one of his favorite utilitarian jumpsuits, except that this one was also sheer white.

As she looked back, there was nothing left to see besides her empty Jedi robes laying on the bed where she had just been and the lightsaber that he had bestowed upon her as a gift so long ago, resting at last in it's charging cradle on her nightstand.

Then she saw them.

Although Mara and Luke had not traveled from her quarters, the walls around them seemed to evaporate as legions upon legions of Jedi that had passed before them stood approvingly in reverent witnesses to their love.

Mara turned back to Luke, revelation and awe spreading across her features.

Luke took a long look at the gorgeous vision before him, and placed one hand onto the curve of her hip as he slipped the other gently behind her slender neck. Mara entwined her arms around his back as she pressed closer to him. Then their lips met with the first kiss of an eternal passion that shattered the chains of their past burdens and ignited the reality of their new path. Together at last.

"Wow," Mara said with a mischievous grin when he finally relented "I haven't felt this young in years. I can hardly wait to see what happens next."

Luke just beamed. "This, my love, was only the beginning."

With that, their union was complete. They turned and advanced as one towards the radiant beacon of goodness that had guided their destiny since the first time they had crossed paths, all of those years ago.

Two of the purest souls the universe had ever produced ascended into the light, a pair of perfect Angels of the Force.


End file.
